Just before Ji Leyu and Lin Fei knocked on the door, Lin Luoqing was still seated beside Ji Yuxiao on the bed and talking about the two of them.
"Why are they still not asleep yet? It's so late," Lin Luoqing asked with concern.
"Then you go and tell them to sleep early," Ji Yuxiao placed the book in his hands down and responded to him.
"How can that do?" Lin Luoqing wasn't very willing, "They only get the weekends off. It's rare for them to be able to relax and have fun. It's only natural for them to want to play more."
"But you're still over here worrying," Ji Yuxiao didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
Lin Luoqing sighed, "Isn't it only because Fei Fei didn't sleep until late last night? If he continues, it'll be bad for his body."
"But you're still unwilling to go and tell him to go to bed."
"Children should have their own freedom," Lin Luoqing said righteously, "He normally works very hard with his coursework and classes already. It's only natural for him to do some other things he enjoys as well."
As Ji Yuxiao listened to him, he only felt Lin Luoqing was very cute.
At times like these, he doesn't feel like Lin Luoqing resembles a parent. Rather, he was like a child himself who had not yet fully grown up. He was more like an elder brother.
Hence, he was here considering aspects normal families wouldn't.
Such as, what to do if children don't sleep until very late at night?
Most parents either gave their children complete freedom and wouldn't consider such a question or would directly head over and turn the lights off, telling the children to go to bed.
But Lin Luoqing wouldn't. He would worry but was also unwilling to force the two children to head to bed. Hence, he would occupy himself with fret over such an insignificant matter. Even though he felt this wasn't healthy, he would still consider the children's perspectives and argue for their logic.
He cared about the children, but also gave them the freedom to decide for themselves.
This was rare. Even though Ji Yuxiao also doted on the two children, he wasn't like Lin Luoqing.
Not to mention, Lin Luoqing hadn't graduated from college long himself. He himself was still a child.
Lin Luoqing had some childish and naive moments himself. But when the matters concerned the two children, Lin Luoqing was exceptionally responsible and reliable.
Ji Yuxiao laughed and patted his head. He persuaded Lin Luoqing, "Just let them be. There's no school tomorrow anyways. It won't matter much even if they go to bed late one or two nights."
Lin Luoqing nodded his head but still hoped inside that the two children would be able to sleep early.
As he was thinking this, he heard the knock on the door.
Lin Luoqing gave Ji Yuxiao a curious look. Afterwards, he got off the bed and headed over.
He figured it must be the two children. At this time of the night, Auntie Zhang should already be asleep.
But when he opened the door, he didn't see anyone.
Lin Luoqing glanced around, perplexed. He looked to the right and then to the left. Only when he lowered his head did he see the two presents.
He could tell they were presents because one of them had a beautiful ribbon tied to it while the other had a bow. The decoration was very intricate despite it being the typical appearance of a wrapped gift.
He was pleasantly surprised and took the presents in with him.
Ji Yuxiao saw that he had stayed at the door for quite a while before returning and asked, "Who was it? Fei Fei or Xiao Yu?"
"Neither."
Lin Luoqing waved the two presents in his hand, "It's their presents."
Ji Yuxiao looked at the time. It was midnight, and a brand new day. It was also Lin Luoqing's birthday."
"Happy Birthday," he said gently.
"Thank you," Lin Luoqing responded as he returned to the bed. He happy gazed at the presents in his hands.
Unable to contain his anticipation, he first opened the cylindrical, larger present. The box was clearly handmade. Lin Luoqing felt confused. Did the merchant did give the child a box or wrapping for the present when he bought it?
Was his child still too simple and naive to know that everything bought outside usually comes with a wrapping?
But when he opened the box and took out the drawing inside, he immediately understood.
The red ribbon was tied into a beautiful bow. Lin Luoqing untied it and slowly unraveled the drawing. What caught his eye immediately was a very immature child's drawing.
The person who made the drawing was clearly very young. The brushwork was simple to the point that it could hardly be considered brushwork.
The people in the drawing stood in a neat row. There were two adults and two children, sorted by height. All of them had a wide grin on their faces and were smiling happily. Only the person on the far left was sitting down, in what should be a wheelchair. He appeared to be holding what looked like a cake in his hands.
At the lower right hand corner, the words: [Daddy, Happy Birthday! --Xiao Yu] were written very clearly and seriously.
Lin Luoqing couldn't restrain the grin on his face as he looked at the figures in the drawing again.
The cake Ji Leyu drew amused him a great deal. Perhaps because he could tell that Ji Leyu had spent great effort on it. It was primarily brown, but Ji Leyu had also added some red and yellow to it. Colorful candles were also added but the colors all blended together. Rather than it being a cake, it resembled more of a blob of colorful unknown object.
Ji Yuxiao looked at the drawing and thought to himself: ...With this set of artistic skills, he might as well bid the art society farewell.
"This really, isn't the slightest bit like my Ge."
Ji Yuxiao's brother's art skills were superb. He had even drawn a beautiful portrait of his sister-in-law before as well.
Lin Luoqing heard his tone of disdain and said with dissatisfaction, "The drawing is clearly very cute. Besides, look at this, your wheelchair, Fei Fei's cactus, and my cake. Xiao Yu thought of everything. It's evident that my Xiao Yu is a very detailed and considerate child." Lin Luoqing boasted with a triumphant grin.
Ji Yuxiao: ....At times like these, Lin Luoqing was more of a father to Ji Leyu than he was.
This could even be considered cute?
This father filter of his must be nearsighted by at least 800 diopters!
"You can actually tell that this is a cake?" he exclaimed.
Lin Luoqing raised Ji Leyu's drawing up and pointed it to him, "This is a chocolate fruit cake. Here are the fruit pieces and these are the candles. It's a very complete cake. He didn't miss anything."
Ji Yuxiao: ... What is wrong with you? Look at that proud expression you have!
Just this?
Is it worth being proud over???
Lin Luoqing was indeed feeling very proud and triumphant. He gazed at the drawing with relish and even considered, "I'll ask Xiao Yu next time if he's willing to have the drawing hung up. If so, I'll head out to buy a picture frame."
Ji Yuxiao: ...That picture frame really has it hard.
It's his son's drawing that itsn't worthy of it!
After Lin Luoqing had his fill of Ji Leyu's drawing, he also knew then that the envelope must contain Lin Fei's present.
Did the child write him a letter?
Lin Luoqing felt excited. He had never received a letter from Lin Fei before.
He carefully ripped the envelope open and didn't dare to use too much force where the glue was. He was afraid of tearing apart the envelope Lin Fei made himself.
What he saw was a green folded card. It wasn't big and there were golden ribbons and butterflies on the cover. It was very beautiful.
It didn't look like a letter. Unless, it was a ...card?
Lin Luoqing opened the card up filled with curiosity.
The moment he did, the five trees all stood up before him.
Ji Yuxiao was stunned, "Wow. Fei Fei is very impressive. He actually knows how to make this?"
Lin Luoqing was also stunned. This type of card clearly wasn't something a child Fei Fei's age should know how to make. No matter how smart he was and knew how to plan things out, the process must not have been easy. Not only would it be time-consuming, but it must've also taken quite some effort. Lin Fei would have to be very detailed and careful the entire process. If he made a single wrong cut, then the trees wouldn't have been able to stand up at all.
He has to go to school, and also read and do his homework. Now he also had to make this card. He must have been very tight on time.
Lin Luoqing suddenly thought of Lin Fei still being awake last night. No, more accurately speaking, Lin Fei also didn't sleep until very late the night before last night as well. When Lin Luoqing asked him what he was doing, Lin Fei didn't respond.
Lin Luoqing felt like he understood something.
Lin Fei had never been a child who seek praises and acknowledgment. He also didn't like to make his efforts public. He would never take the initiative to admit his hard work. He clearly was a child who would pile everything you love before you if you wanted it but as far as admitting it and using words to express his care and love, Lin Fei wasn't a child who was accustomed to doing that.
Lin Fei felt the tips of his heart quiver and tremble as though some raindrops had fell into it and beckoned the blossoming of a field of flowers.
He looked at the card in his hand.
It was evident that the design and artwork of this card was more labor-intensive and aesthetic than Ji Leyu's drawing. The five trees seemed to make up a forest. The background was blue and there were green grass and flowers on the ground. There was even a little tiger lying in the grass.
Lin Fei looked at the little tiger in the lower right hand corner and couldn't help but laugh. It was a chibi tiger with a big round head. There was even the "wang" character on top of its head. It was clearly very adorable, but also looked very aloof. People who saw it couldn't help but want to be able to rub its head. *Wang character = 王, which resembles the patterns made on tigers' foreheads.*
"Fei Fei drew very well," Ji Yuxiao sighed, "Not only does he study well, he also draws very well. He's good with his hands too. Such a well-rounded child actually existed. Who knew."
Lin Luoqing shared Ji Yuxiao's thoughts. Especially seeing the chibi tiger Lin Fei drew.
His gaze shifted down to the lower left hand corner and saw the words Lin Fei wrote.
Lin Fei's characters were written very neatly and aesthetically. At the same time, one could also tell that it was written by a young child with how cute they looked.
He wrote three sentences:
Mountain springs love rivers.
Bees love their flowers.
Little tiger and big forest: "I love you too."
Lin Luoqing read the three sentences and felt the rims of his eyes redden and grew warm.
He couldn't help but smile and felt his heart was both soft and itchy.
He read over the sentences over and over again before finally closing the card, afraid that tears would start to pool out.
He loved Lin Fei's present very much.
Occasionally, Lin Fei would admit that he loved Lin Luoqing, but only after Lin Luoqing had to deliberately tease it out of him would Lin Fei admit to it.
Before him, Lin Fei was just a stubborn tsundere. But he was a very likeable and sweet child.
He would ask him: "Can I call you Dad?"
He would stay up late to make him cards.
He would write out Little Tiger and big forest: "I love you too."
He really was a very gentle and sweet child.
Lin Luoqing turned around and hugged Ji Yuxiao. His heart felt both sour and soft, but also blooming with joy and giddiness.
He never dreamed of Lin Fei and Ji Leyu gifting him presents, much less handmade presents.
They were still young. They only needed to bear being loved without having to worry about paying forth the love they deserved.
Just like how every previous holiday, he would prepare presents for Lin Fei and Ji Leyu but never expected them to give him anything back. One because there was no need, and two, because they were just children.
So Lin Luoqing naturally just assumed that the two children wouldn't have anything prepared for his birthday. He didn't need them to give him anything either.
Much less, something so thoughtful.
He hugged onto Ji Yuxiao and said with emotion, "I didn't think they'd have something prepared."
"You treat and care for them very well. They know that too and naturally want to be good to you as well."
"But during previous holidays, hasn't it always just been enough for me to give them presents? They're still young. It's unnecessary."
"But holidays are for everyone. Only your birthday is yours and only yours."
Ji Yuxiao turned his head around and kissed the side of Lin Luoqing's face, "Happy Birthday. You deserve the best this world has to offer."
Lin Luoqing couldn't help but laugh again. He felt inexplicably embarrassed by his words but the grin on his face grew wider.
He raised his head to look at Ji Yuxiao. His eyes were bright as though stars had sunk into them. He grinned brilliantly and his entire being seemed to be radiating.
"I want to go see them," he said, "If they're not asleep yet, can I sleep with them tonight?"
"Of course," Ji Yuxiao kissed his eyes, "Otherwise the two of them would still be waiting for your reaction after receiving their presents."
With his words, Lin Luoqing hurriedly got up. He was afraid of making the two children wait and be nervous any longer.
"I'll go find them now."
After he said that, he first carefully stowed the two children's presents away before hurriedly running out.
Ji Leyu and Lin Fei were currently sitting on Lin Fei's bed.
As Lin Fei no longer has to make any cards anymore, he was naturally willing to sleep with Ji Leyu again. He looked at the time and was prepared to sleep.
But Ji Leyu didn't seem to share his plans, "Would Daddy still be looking at our present right now?"
"Perhaps," Lin Fei guessed.
"Would he like them," Ji Leyu held onto his face and felt very nervous.
Lin Fei felt he should. Lin Luoqing loved the simple kissing emojis he sent him every now and then so much already, much less the presents they gifted him.
"So he calmly responded, "He should."
"How would he react? Would he be very happy and come find us?"
This, Lin Fei didn't know.
Ji Leyu fantasized happily before saying, "Perhaps Daddy would think our presents are wonderful and that the two of us are simply too adorable. After, he'd want to sleep with us tonight."
Lin Fei: ...He sure knew how to fantasize.
Lin Fei persuaded him, "Sleep."
Ji Leyu shook his head. He sat up on the bed, unwilling to lie down, "I'll wait a bit longer."
Hence, Lin Fei also grabbed a book from the bedside and started to read it.
As he was doing so, he heard a knock on the door. The next second, Lin Luoqing opened the door and came in with pursed lips.
He was clearly very happy and wasn't able to hide the wide grin on his face the least bit. After, his eyes curved into crescents as his smile became more and more evident.
Ji Leyu had his dream come tree and hopped off the bed. He threw himself into Lin Luoqing's arms, "Daddy."
Lin Luoqing picked him up and delivered a series of kisses on Ji Leyu's forehead to the point Ji Leyu started to feel embarrassed.
"Xiao Yu drew very well. It was the best. Daddy loves it very much," after Lin Luoqing said that, he couldn't help himself from kissing Ji Leyu a few more times, "Baby is the best."
Ji Leyu smiled at him sweetly, "Daddy, Happy Birthday."
"This is the happiest birthday Daddy has ever had," Lin Luoqing said without hesitation, "Wait until Daddy heads out to buy a picture frame tomorrow to hang your artwork up. After, we'll nail it to the wall, so we'd be able to see it everyday."
Ji Leyu naturally didn't think there was anything shameful about his artwork that others couldn't see the least bit. He nodded giddily, "En. En."
Lin Luoqing rubbed against his forehead as his heart felt soft.
After he was finished expressing his love for Ji Leyu, he finally placed the child down and headed over to see Lin Fei.
Lin Fei had already buried his head into his book. He looked like he didn't care at all about anything, much less whether Lin Luoqing liked his present or not.
--If Lin Luoqing didn't know Lin Fei that well.
He looked at Lin Fei and felt as though a refreshing spring breeze had blown past. The fallen leaves were colorful and gorgeous as they rustled in his heart, rendering him speechless.
He headed over to Lin Fei and patted his head. After, he sat down on the bed.
"Fei Fei's card had been made very well. I love it very much," Lin Luoqing said gently.
Lin Fei responded indifferently, "Oh."
"The little tiger was drawn very well. It was very cute. Just like Fei Fei."
Lin Fei, who had never associated himself with the term "cute": ........
Lin Fei looked up at Lin Luoqing but before the disdain could even emerge in his eyes, it was forced back by the tenderness and joy in Lin Luoqing's gaze.
He felt at a loss by this type of Lin Luoqing and could only lower his head to pretend to be reading again.
"Let's sleep together again tonight, alright?" Lin Luoqing looked at the child before him and said with a tone saturated in warmth and softness, "I want to sleep together."
"Alright~!" Ji Leyu cheered.
When Lin Luoqing heard him, he turned around and patted his head.
Lin Fei only calmly responded, "En."
Lin Luoqing watched as Lin Fei closed the book and returned it to the beside table. In the end, he couldn't help himself. Taking advantage of when Lin Fei had his guard down, he directly reached over and picked the child up. After, he affectionately kissed his face.
Lin Fei was completely caught off guard and felt he had returned to the time when he called Lin Luoqing "Dad" for the first time. How did he ended up being kissed so relentlessly??
He suddenly recalled that Ji Leyu was still sitting there to the side and felt even more ashamed. He immediately reached out to push Lin Luoqing away. Only after an immense struggle was he able to extrapolate himself from Lin Luoqing's embrace.
Lin Luoqing grinned widely at him, "Fei Fei's great. I love Fei Fei very much."
Lin Fei: ...
Lin Fei's face grew even redder.
Ji Leyu called out with a bit of a stunned expression, "Ge Ge's face is red."
Lin Fei immediately turned around to glare at him, "Shut up."
Ji Leyu's eyes also curved into crescents as he said, "Ge Ge's embarrassed~"
Lin Fei: ...
Lin Fei gave him a fierce glare. You can sleep by yourself tomorrow!
Ji Leyu who was oblivious to his Ge's intentions to let him sleep alone in his own bed tomorrow, grinned even wider. This is good. Sure enough, his Dad came to find them and want to sleep with them. He was right~.